Alcoa: Closure of smelters in Quebec has no impact on Massena

MASSENA  A local spokeswoman for Alcoa said the companys decision, announced Thursday, to postpone modernization at its Baie-Comeau smelter in Quebec has no impact on either of the two plants in Massena.

Yesterdays release about Baie-Comeau doesnt have anything to do with Massena or our project. Its about the status of that plant, Laurie A. Marr said.

In a release posted on the companys website, Alcoa announced it was postponing the planned modernization of the Baie-Comeau smelter until 2019. The work originally had been planned for 2016.

Alcoa announced today it is postponing construction of a new potline at its Baie-Comeau smelter in Quebec as part of a revised modernization plan for the smelter, but will begin preparations for the upgrade by investing $100 million in the smelter over the next three years and by permanently closing the plants two Soderberg potlines, the release said.

According to the release, the reason for the decision was current market conditions.

Ms. Marr confirmed that Soderberg potlines are also in use at Alcoas East plant.

Thats why the modernization project is planned at East, to modernize the plant to more updated smelting technology, she wrote.

The two potlines in Quebec are scheduled to be closed by August.

The release indicated the closure of those potlines is part of a review of 460,000 metric tons of smelting capacity that the company is conducting over the next 15 months.

The review will include facilities across the Alcoa system and will focus on higher-cost plants and plants that have long-term risk due to factors such as energy costs or regulatory uncertainty, the release said.

In a May 1 statement, Alcoa Global Primary Products President Chris Ayers said, Because of persistent weakness in global aluminum prices, we need to review every option to maintain Alcoas competitiveness. Any action taken will only be done after a thorough strategic review and consultations with stakeholders.

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